Published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Andrew G. Hashimoto, Director/Dean, Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822. An equal opportunity/affirmative action inst...

Previous research has shown that population densities of plant-parasitic nematodes are reduced when a legume crop is grown in rotation with sugarcane. However, this effect is only temporary, as nematodes usually return to high densities within 12 months of planting sugarcane. This rapid resurgence suggests that natural enemies that normally keep plant-parasitic nematodes under control in natura...

An increasing number of studies report plant range expansions to higher latitudes and altitudes in response to global warming. However, consequences for interactions with other species in the novel ranges are poorly understood. Here, we examine how range-expanding plant species interact with root-feeding nematodes from the new range. Root-feeding nematodes are ubiquitous belowground herbivores ...

The tree Melaleuca quinquenervia invades all types of habitats of South Florida leading to up to 80% loss of aboveground diversity. To examine impacts on the belowground ecosystem, we investigated the composition and diversity of nematodes from soils dominated by the invasive tree and compared them with soils supporting native plant communities at six locations across the Florida Everglades ove...

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) are known to survive periods of desiccation, an ability that increases the risk of them surviving unintentional transport between countries. To investigate nematode survival in soil subject to prolonged storage, soil collected from a native forest and an organic orchard was stored separately in cupboards at ambient temperature for 36 months. Subsamples were taken...

A field plots experiment was carried to investigate the influence of soil applications of neem-based (Achook and Nimbidin) and crop fertilizer (urea and cattle manure) treatments, separately and in combination on free-living and plant-pathogenic nematode populations and crop productivity. Data regarding the results showed that all the treatments significantly decreased the number of plant-paras...

The activity and spread of exotic earthworms often are spatially correlated with N deposition because both arise from human activities. Exotic earthworms, in turn, can also greatly affect soil abiotic and biotic properties, as well as related ecological processes. Previous studies showed, for example, that earthworms can counteract the detrimental effects of plant-feeding nematodes on plant gro...

There has been much work on plant-feeding nematodes, and less on other soil nematodes, their distribution, abundance, intrinsic properties, and interactions with biotic and abiotic factors. Seasonal variation in nematode fauna as a whole is correlated with factors such as moisture, temperature, and plant growth; at each site nematode distribution generally reflects root distribution. There is a...

Plant-parasitic nematodes can affect seedling production in forest nurseries when host seedlings are developmentally vulnerable, nematode populations are high, or opportunistic pathogens are present. Soil fumigation has been important for plant-parasitic nematode control in forest nurseries. Regulatory changes and rising costs of fumigant application are expected to affect nursery pest manageme...